Container labeling machine



March 22, 1949. T. PAISLEY CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE 2 Sheets$heet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1945 I INVENTOR- z z Zar' 7 252:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. PAISLEY CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE March 22, 1949.

Filed Sept. 15, 1945 [N V EN TOR. Tr gZar' Eris Ze g- B Y I v ,HW 2J5; v I TTAITIVFKS,

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Patented Mar. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2,464,937 CQNTAINER LABELING MACHINE Taylor Paisley, Ferndale; Mich.

Applicatibn September 13, 1945 Siifil N6. 6161145 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a semi automatic container labelingmechanism adapted to Ztfi'lX a glued label or the like to a generally cylindrical object such as a bottle, jar or can.

A great many concerns are engaged in packaging a wide range of products in jars, cans, or botties on a relatively small scale such that it is not economical to employ automatic labeling machinery or specially lithographed containers. It has been necessaryin' the past for such concerns to apply glued labels to the containers by hand because of the lack of a label applyin machine sufilciently inexpensive to warrant its use for relatively small production.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive semi-automatic labeling machine suited for the use of concerns whose production is limited.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type mentioned which may be readily adapted to accommodate labeling of containers of difierent sizes.

Another object is to provide a machine of the type mentioned which maybe operated at high speed by an inexperienced operator.-

Other objects and advantages 'wil-l become apparent from the following specification, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken through tr machine with parts broken away to facilitate ihustration.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section view taken of line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig re 3 is an end elevation of the machine. I

As best shown in Figure 1, the apparatus is supported upon a table which may be of any suitable construction. As illustrated, the preferred form of table is built up of a marginal rim of angle iron construction, including longitudinal angle irons l and transverse angle irons 2. The longitudinal angle irons l are of stepped form and support a pair of top plates 3 and 4 which are located at different levels and which overlap each other to a limited extent. The table structure is supported in any suitable manner as by angle iron legs 5 located at the corners.

An adjustable label magazine is provided on the top section 3 by means of a pair of longitudinally extending angle shaped members 5 and a transversely extending angle shaped member t. The members 6 are adjustable toward and away from each other and may be fixed in any desired position of adjustment by means of bolts having wing nuts 8. Thebolts extend through suitable openings in the members 6 and slots 9' formed in the top plate member 3. The member I is similarly adjustablelongitudinally of the table and fixed in position by means of bolts having win-g nuts iii and which pass through openings in the member 7 and a pair of slots it, formed in the table top.

The table top section 3 partially overlies a reservoir l2 which is fixed to the table top section'd and which is adapted to contain either water for moistening glued labels or liquid glue for glue"- ing' unglued labels in the usual manner. For this purpose, a moistening roller l3is journale'd in the endw'alls of the reservoir [2 insuch a position that it dips into the glue or water in the reservoir; A feed roller I5 is similarly journaled in the-end walls of the reservoir and bears against the roller l3. Preferably both rollers l3 and'M are provided with a rubber coating such as the coatings i5 and It illustratedin drawings, but the coating on the roller 53 may be omitted if desired. The rollers 13 and i6 operatively engage each other arid the" roller it lightly touches the top surface of the'plate 3 with the result that when a label is fed beneath the roller If, it will be propelledthereby between the rollers l3 and 14.

The labels, indicated at I'll,- are stacked in the magazine with'th'eir under surfaces down; and means are provided for feeding them one ata time to the feed roller M. This means comprises a push r'o'd it! having a transverse end portion I 9 provided witha pair of rubber-like'label engaging members 2B. The pusher lever i3 is pivoted at 2| to a vertically extending lever 22 which, in turn, is pivoted at 23 on a bracket 24 formed onthe member] of the' magazinestructure. As a-re'sult of this arrangement;clockwise rotation of the lever 22 about its pivot 23 will feed one label toward the feedrcller I 41 suitablecurvedguide members 2 5 are fixed to the magazine members 6 to insure that the label fed from the top ofthe stack by the pusher will pass beneath the feed roller it. Return or counterclockwise rotation of trial-ever 22 will not e'fiect movement or. the labels due to' the fact that their rear edges bear against the member 1. Consequently, oscillation of the member 22 will-effect a'feed of labels' one at atime to'the feedrollers M.

The container to be labeled, iridicated iii dotted lines in; Figure 1 at 26, is placed upon a of supporting rollers 21" and 28 The shaft" 2 9" of roller 2'! is' journalled'at its 'ehds in a pairo'f are jetting ears 28a formed on the reservoir ligwhile the roller 28 is similarly:jourrialed'between apair support 3|. The support is in the form of a fiat plate which is adjustably fixed to the table top section 4 by means of a bolt having a. thumb nut 32 and passing through a suitable opening in the member 3| and a longitudinal slot 33 formed in the table top. It is obvious that by shifting member 3| longitudinally with respect to the slot 33, the spacing of the rollers 21 and 28 may be varied to accommodate containers of different diameters. In addition, a slightly conical form of container may be accommodated by angularly adjusting the member 3| about the fastening bol In order to prevent endwise displacement of the containers with respect to the rollers 21 and 28, a pair of angle brackets 34 is provided for engaging the ends of the container. The brackets 34 are adjustable toward and away from each other and are fixed in any desired adjusted position by means of bolts having thumb nuts 35. The bolts extend through openings formed in the brackets and. through transverse slots 36 formed in the table top section 4.

A pressure roller 36 is provided for engaging the top portion of the container in the manner best shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and holding it in pressure engagement with the rollers 21 and 28 in order to press the label firmly against the container. The shaft 31 of roller 36 is journaled in a pair of bearing blocks 38 which are adjustably carried by a yoke-shaped bell crank lever indicated generally at 39. The lever 39 is pivoted on shaft 29 and is formed of a channel section. The vertical arms of the lever are provided with slots 40 which receive the ends of the shaft 31. Bearing blocks 38 are positioned within the channel and may be fixed in any desired vertical adjustment by means of bolts having thumb nuts 4|. The bolts extend through openings formed in the blocks 38 and also through slots 49. Accordingly, the position of the pressure roller may be adjusted to accommodate containers of differing sizes.

It will be noted that lever 39 may be swung from the vertical position illustrated in Figure 1 about the axis of the shaft '29 in order to shift the pressure roller into the dotted line position in which it presses the .container against the rollers 21 and 28, This swinging movement of lever 39 is utilized to effect the feed of a label to the feed roller I4. This is accomplished by connecting the lever 39 to the previously mentioned lever 22. Thus the lever 39 is provided with a bracket 40a to which is pivoted a link 4|, the other end of which is pivoted to the upper end of lever 22. A plurality of pivot openings 42 are provided in the link 4| in order to accommodate longitudinal adjustment of the magazine memher 1.

The rollers I3, I4 and 21 are constantly rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, from any suitable source of power. In the preferred construction illustrated, a shaft of a motor 43 is provided with a worm 44 which drives the worm wheel 45, mounted upon the shaft 46 of the roller I3. Shaft 46, in turn, is connected to the shaft 41 of roller I4 by means of gears 48 and 49, and is also connected to the shaft 29 of roller 21 by means of gears 50 and lhe arrangement of gears is such that the surface speeds of the rollers I3, I4 and 21 are equal. Consequently, labels discharged by rollers I3 and I4 will be fed to the container at a speed equal to the surface speed of the container. In order to ensure the label will be properly fixed to the container, it is guided into a position between the roller 36 and the container by means of a lower guide plate 53 and a pair of upper guide members 54, shown best in Figures 1 and 3. The lower guide plate 53 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 55 extending between the end plates of reservoir I2.

The lower edge of the lower guide plate 53 is provided with a plurality of slots and a plurality of fingers 56 extend into the slots and are also journaled on the shaft 55. The free ends of the fingers 56 bear on the roller I3 and serve to strip labels from the roller. For this purpose, the periphery of the roller may be grooved and fingers 56 may project into the grooves of the roller I3 to facilitate the stripping operation in accordance with conventional practice. The angle of the lower guide plate 53 may be adjusted to accommodate containers of different sizes by adjusting a screw 51, shown best in Figure 1.

The upper guide members 54 serve to prevent the labels from passing above the roller 36. They are pivotally connected to the longitudinal magazine member 6 by means of stove bolts 58, which may be tightened to retain them in any desired angular position.

The bell crank lever 39 is provided with a short horizontally extending arm 59 which is connected by means of a link 60 to a foot pedal 6|, which in turn is pivoted on a shaft 62 extending between a pair of the table legs 5. As a result, downward movement of the pedal 6| will effect clockwise rotation of the levers 29 and 32. When the foot pedal is released, the parts are returned to the position indicated in Figure 1 by means of a spring 63. Any suitable means may be provided for limiting the return movement of the parts to the position illustrated.

The operation of the machine is as follows; with the motor 43 started, the rollers I3, I4 and 21 will be rotated continuously while the remaining parts remain in the position illustrated in Figure 1. The operator then places a container on the rollers 21 and 28 between the end brackets 34. As soon as the container is in position, the operator depresses the pedal 6|. This effects a clockwise swinging movement of the levers 39 and 22. As a result, a label is fed beneath the feed roller l4 and carried thereby between rollers |3 and I4 where it is moistened and fed to the container. Simultaneously with the feed of a label to the feed roller I4, the pressure roller 39 will swing into the dotted line position illustrated wherein it clamps the container tightly against the rollers 21 and 28. Due to the power rotation of the roller 21, the container will be rotated on its own axis in a clockwise direction. as viewed in Figure 1 and will, in turn, rotate the rollers 28 and 36 on their axes. During such rotation, the label discharged by the rollers I3 and I4 will pass upward over the lower guide plate 53 and between the roller 36 and the container.

The roller 36 will press the label tightly against the container and the labeled container will be rotated between rollers 21, 2B and 36 until the label is securely aflixed to the container. The rotation of the labeled container will continue as long as the operator maintains the pedal 6| depressed. Accordingly, as soon as the label is fully applied, the pedal may be released and the labeled container removed. Since both hands of the operator are free, the labeled container may be removed with one hand and a new container placed into position simultaneously, following which the pedal may be again depressed to repeat the operation. As a result, a. single operator may label a large number of containers in a very short time.

It is apparent that there is provided in accordance with the present invention, an exceedingly simple, practical and rapid machine for applying glued labels to containers at high speed. The machine contains simple adjustments to accommodate labels and containers of various sizes.

While only a form of the invention is illustrated and described, it will be apparent that variations in the details of construction of the label feeding mechanism or the label moistening mechanism may be indulged in without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container labeling machine including a pair of rollers adapted to support a container during rotation of the container on its oWn axis, means for rotating the container, a pressure roller movable into engagement with a container and effective to clamp it against said pair of rollers, a label feeding means adapted when actuated to feed a label between the container and one of said rollers, an operating element efiective on movement in one direction from its normal position to move said pressure rollers against a container supported by said pair of rollers and simultaneously actuate said feeding means, and means for returning said operating element to its normal position.

2. A container labeling machine including a pair of rollers adapted to support a container during rotation of the container on its own axis, a pressure roller movable into engagement with a container and eifective to clamp it against said pair of rollers, means for continuously rotating one of said rollers, label feeding means adapted when actuated to feed a label between the container and one of said rollers, an operating element effective on movement in one direction from its normal position to move said pressure roller against a container supported by said pair of rollers and simultaneously actuate said feeding means, and means for returning said operating element to its normal position.

3. A container labeling machine including a pair of rollers adapted to support a container during rotation of the container on its own axis, a pressure roller movable into engagement with a container and efiective to clamp it against said pair of rollers, means for continuously rotating one of said rollers, a label magazine, means including a continuously rotating label feed roller for feeding labels between the container and one of the rollers, a single control element operable on movement in one direction from a normal position to feed a label into feeding engagement with the feed roller and simultaneously move said pressure roller into engagement with a container supported by said pair of rollers, and means for automatically returning said element to normal position.

TAYLOR PAISLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

